Scientists discover the forces that give geckos their adhesive properties

Scientists Discover the Forces that Give the Gecko its Strong Adhesive Properties To better understand the adhesive properties of the gecko, scientists have discovered new data that explains how the gecko can attach itself to almost any surface. They specifically studied the Tokay gecko (Gekko gecko). Researchers at the University of Berkley, have been working on discovering how the gecko can walk on almost any surface without falling off or leaving any residue. This research …

…was more important to the researchers to find out how the gecko can get free of the Van der Waals forces so quickly. They reported that geckos adhere and remove these forces up to 15 times a second. It was discovered that the gecko uses a special technique of peeling its feet off at approximately a 30 degree angle with each step. This new discovery gives scientists hope for developing new technology in powerful adhesion without residue.